Sunday, September 21, 2008

All about school


Monday through Saturday I awake at 6:15 to give myself an hour to prepare for school. I leave the house at 7:15 and take the 11 or 17 bus 2 stops past Piazza San Marco to the famous Duomo of Florence(my picture does no justice to its' magnificence.) In the morning I don't really have time to ogle at the sights, so I just walk right on by. I really can't believe it. From the Duomo I walk to Piazza Della Signoria, which is home to the famous Palazzo Vecchio, which was the home of the Medici family (in their time the most powerful and influential family in Florence. An interesting fact for movie buffs is that a scene from Hannibal was shot on on of the balconies on the Palazzo Vecchio, which I see almost every day. I take a turn there and head straight for Piazza di Santa Croce. In the famed square is the Basilica di Santa Croce, and is also called Tempio dell'Itale Glorie, or Pantheon dell'Itale Glorie. In English that means Pantheon of Italian Glories. It is called this because Italian geniuses such as Michelangelo, Galileo, Machiavelli, Rossini, and Marconi are all buried there. Right across the small Italian street is my school. In the morning many kids sit on the steps of the Basilica waiting for the doors to open. From one of my classrooms I can see into the courtyard. It is completely incredible knowing that across the street from where I'm trying to learn to be more artistic are the remains of Michelangelo, I need say no more about that. 
The only day that is different is Tuesday, the day I go to San Gallo for school, it is near the Piazza San Marco, and that day I get to wake up 15 minutes later! 
There is block scheduling at my school, and I stay with the same students all day. They will get their own blog entry, as they are truly amazing people, who have taught me so much! Here is my schedule:
Monday: Santa Croce.
(the numbers on the class will represent what period it is, they are 50 minutes long)
1-Painting( right now we are just drawing, and the curriculum this year is advertisement)
2-Painting
3-Painting
(15 minute break. EVERYONE smokes. I have met 1 girl who doesn't)
4-Painting
5-Art History
6-English
(I get to go home at 1:10 this day! No 7th period!)

Tuesday: San Gallo
1-Math/Physics
2-Math/Physics
3-Math/Physics
(Break)
4-Philosophy
5-Italian History
6-English
7-English

Wednesday: Santa Croce
1-Geometry(like architecture, we draw objects using perspective, sometimes measurements)
2-Geometry
3-Geometry
4-Chemistry(the teacher is scary-crazy, she thinks I'm dumb, but I know more than she thinks.)
5-Chemistry
6-Literature/History
7-Literature/History

Thursday: Santa Croce
1-P.E.(Our first day we walked to Piazza Michelangelo, from which you can see the whole city.)
2-P.E.
3-Philosophy
4-Sculpture (we are sketching right now, we are doing big group projects this year!!!)
5-Sculpture
6-Sculpture
(I get to go home at 1:10, there is religion class 7th but it is optional... I don't know anyone who takes it)

Friday: Santa Croce
1-Literature/History
2-Literature/History
3-Painting(Homework-I have to read a novel sized book in a month and write a summary)
4-Painting
5-Painting
6-Math/Physics
7-Math/Physics

Saturday: Santa Croce
1-Art History
2-Art History
3-Chemistry
4-Geometry
5-Geometry
6-Geometry

WEEKEND!!!!!
I get to sleep in on Sundays! like I did this morning. I woke up just as my host parents were leaving for church. I got up and made myself a Sunday breakfast of omelet, toast, and wonderful Italian coffee. It was bliss. 

No comments: